Portable apparatus

ABSTRACT

First and second housings of a metal sheet are superposed over each other and fixed to each other by bolts to form an element receiving space. An antenna is fixed to the second housing by a bolt so as to be adjacent to the first housing. A hook section is fixed to the first housing. The hook section is inserted in a hole of the antenna, a step-shaped forward lower step section of the hook section is engaged with the peripheral edge of the hole in the antenna, and thus the first housing and the antenna are fixed to each other. The antenna is embedded in resin and covered by the resin.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a portable apparatus, such as acellular phone or a compact TV or radio, having a sheet metal housingand an antenna as its external surface.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, portable terminal devices have been becoming morecompact and thinner. Thin and highly rigid metal sheets, which aresheets made of stainless alloy, etc. and formed by press forming or thelike, are used as part of housings of portable terminal devices. Antennaelements must be located away from surrounding metal components by acertain distance so as not to affect the performance of the antenna. Aproblem in reducing the size of portable terminal devices is that themounting location of the antenna is limited and that a fitting part ofhousings made of sheet metals cannot be extended very close to theantenna. To address the needs to reduce the size and thickness ofterminal devices without compromising the wireless performance of anantenna, the antenna is often mounted on an external surface of thehousing to maintain the distance of the antenna elements fromsurrounding metal components.

When a housing made of sheet metals is adjacent to the antenna mountedon an external surface of the housing, as described above, a fittinghook and the like cannot protrude from the housing in order to maintainthe distance between the antenna elements and surrounding metalcomponents. In this setting, without a fitting part between the antennaand the sheet-metal housing, they are eventually deformed by an externalforce, and protrusion of an edge part of the housing can occur.

Extension and connection of a resin part of the antenna to the metalhousing require a space for installing connecting parts, which isproblematic in reducing the size of terminal devices.

Patent Literature 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAIPublication No. 2004-317588

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

The present invention has been made in view of the aforementionedproblems. Specifically, the present invention relates to a portableapparatus comprising a housing produced by press forming or the like anda resin part being adjacent to the housing and having at least anexternal surface coated with resin, wherein protrusion of the housing,which is made of sheet metals or the like, is unlikely to occur evenunder influence of an external force; when the resin part is an antenna,the performance of the antenna is not affected; and mounting is possiblein a limited space.

Means for Solving the Problem

A portable apparatus according to the present invention comprises:

a first housing made of metal sheets;

a second housing made of metal sheets, the second housing being mountedwith and fixed to the first housing, whereby an inside device storagespace is provided therebetween; and

a resin part having at least its external surface coated with resin, theresin part being fixed to the second housing at an adjacent position tothe first housing, wherein:

the first housing has multi-level hook parts at a side edge thereoffacing the resin part, and front parts of the hook parts are positionedbelow the rear parts thereof;

the resin part has hole parts, into which the hook parts are to beprovided at a side edge thereof facing the first housing; and

with the hook parts being inserted into the hole parts, the front partsof the hook parts are locked at peripheral edges of the hole parts.

The resin part is, e.g., an antenna coated with resin. According to thepresent invention, the first and second housings, both of which are madeof metal sheets, are fixed to each other using screws or the like. Theresin part, such as an antenna, and the second housing are also fixed toeach other using screws or the like. The hook parts are either fixed tothe first housing by welding or formed integrally therewith. The hookparts are inserted into the hole parts of the antenna, and the lowerfront parts of the multi-level hooks are locked at peripheral edges ofthe hole parts, whereby the first housing and the resin part, such as anantenna, are fixed to each other. When an external force is exerted onthe portable apparatus and stress acts in a direction in which theantenna and the first housing are separated, the first housing does notprotrude because the hook parts are locked to the hole parts. When theresin part is an antenna, the antenna performance is not compromised,and the mounting space can be small. Resin parts other than antennasinclude an integrally formed resin cover. By forming a part of a housingas a resin cover to cover heat-prone parts of the housing with the resincover, the effects of heat on surrounding areas can be restrained. Resinmaterials that can be used include engineering plastic such aspolycarbonate, ABS resin, etc.; fiber-reinforce plastic reinforced theengineering plastic by carbon or glass fiber; and inorganic ceramic.

According to the present invention, the hook parts, which are membersmade of metal sheets, are preferably formed separately from the firsthousing and connected thereto by welding or formed integrally with thefirst housing.

Also, with the hook parts being inserted into the hole parts and lockedthereto, the surface of the antenna is preferably higher than that ofthe first housing.

Effect of the Invention

According to the present invention, when an external force is exerted ona portable apparatus and stress acts in a direction in which the resinpart, such as an antenna, and the first housing are separated, the firsthousing does not protrude because the hook parts are locked to the holeparts. When the resin part is an antenna, the performance thereof is notcompromised by this mechanism. Also, no obstacles to size reduction ofterminal devices can be found since the mounting space can be small.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram illustrating a method of assembling aportable apparatus according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is another perspective diagram illustrating a portable apparatusaccording the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are cross-sectional diagrams illustrating themechanism of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating a portable apparatusaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram illustrating a part of a portableapparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1: first housing-   2: antenna-   3: second housing-   4 a, 4 b: bolt-   11: hook part-   12: hole-   13: edge part-   21: hole part-   22: hole-   23: edge part-   29: boundary-   31, 32: boss

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail belowby referring to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective diagramillustrating assembly of a portable apparatus according to the firstembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective diagramillustrating the apparatus upon assembly. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B arecross-sectional diagram illustrating mechanisms of the portableapparatus along the A-A line in FIG. 2.

A first housing 1 and a second housing 3 are made of metal sheets formedby performing plastic working, such as press forming or the like, andare formed in a box form. The side walls on the edge of the secondhousing 3 have a section which is slightly higher than the rest. On thelower section of the side walls of the second housing 3, the side wallsof the first housing 1 are mounted, such that the device is stored inthe space surrounded therebetween. An antenna 2 is located adjacent tothe first housing 1 and mounted on the slightly higher section of theside walls of the second housing 3. The external surface of the antenna2 is coated with resin, which serves as an insulation layer. Even if theantenna 2 contacts the first housing 1 and the second housing 3, both ofwhich are made of metal sheets, the performance thereof does notdeteriorate. The antenna 2 is embedded in resin so that it is coatedtherewith.

At the four corners of the second housing 3, bosses 31 and 32, eachhaving a screw hole with which either a bolt 4 a or 4 b is engaged, areprovided. On the side edge of the first housing 1 far away from theantenna 2, holes 12, through which bolts 4 b are to be inserted, areformed. By inserting the bolts 4 b into the holes 12 and engaging thebolts 4 b with the screw holes of the bosses 32, the first housing 1 isfixed to the second housing 3. On the side edge of the antenna 2 facingthe first housing 1, holes 22 are provided, through which the bolts 4 aare to be inserted. By inserting the bolts 4 a into the holes 22 andengaging the bolts 4 a with the screw holes of the bosses 31, theantenna 2 is fixed to the second housing 3.

On a side edge 13 of the first housing 1 facing the antenna 2, two hookparts 11 are provided. The cross-section of the hook parts 11 is crank-or key-shaped, and the hook parts 11 have a multi-level configurationwhere the rear parts are positioned above than the front parts. The hookparts 11 are formed by performing press forming of metal plates, as inthe case of the first housing 1. The upper level of the rear parts arefixed to the internal surface of the first housing 1 by spot welding orthe like. On a side edge 29 of the antenna 2 facing the first housing 1,hole parts 21, which has a horseshoe shape in a plane view, are providedsuch that they protrude from the side surface of the antenna 2. The holeparts 21 thereby form a rectangular surrounded by four sides, includingthe side edge 23 of the antenna 2.

The antenna 2 thus structured, the first housing 1, and the secondhousing 3 are assembled as follows. First, the antenna 2 is mounted onthe second housing 3, and the bolts 4 a are inserted through the holes22 and engaged with the screw holes of the bosses 31 of the secondhousing 3. The hook parts 11 of the first housing 1 are inserted intothe hole parts 21, and the lower front parts of the hook parts 11 arelocked on the lower surfaces of peripheral edges of the hole parts 21.In this condition, the upper surface of the antenna 2 and the uppersurface of the first housing 1 form substantially one surface, and thebolts 4 b are inserted through the holes 12 and engaged with the screwholes of the bosses 32 of the second housing 3. Then the first housing 1and the antenna 2 are fixed to the second housing 3, and the firsthousing 1 and the antenna 2 are locked and fixed to each other.

As illustrated in FIG. 3A, when all the members are assembled, the uppersurface of the antenna 2 and the upper surface of the first housing formsubstantially one surface. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, when an externalforce acts on the portable apparatus, the forces acting between theantenna 2 and the first housing 1, and between the antenna 2 and thesecond housing 3 include stress exerted on the boundary 29 between thefirst housing 1 and the antenna 2 in a direction in which separationtherebetween eventually occurs. There is a force to push upward the sideedge 13 of the first housing 1 facing the antenna 2, but such upwardmovement does not take place because the lower front parts of the hookparts 11, which are fixed to the first housing 1, are locked on thelower surface of the hole parts 21 of the antenna 2. Therefore,protrusion of the first housing 1 does not occur. Even with presence ofan external force, protrusion of the corner of the side edge 13 of thefirst housing 1 is restrained. In this embodiment, these connectionparts do not cause an increase in the size of portable apparatuses ordeterioration of the antenna performance.

The present invention provides a connection structure whereby sidesurfaces of sheet-metal housings fitting with each other are not easilyseparated by an external force. Also, implementation of this structureis possible in a limited mounting space without compromising the antennaperformance.

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention is explained. Asillustrated FIG. 4, according to this embodiment, when the first housing1, the antenna 2, and the second housing 3 are assembled, a slight leveldifference C exists between the upper surfaces of the antenna 2 and thefirst housing 1.

This embodiment produces effects similar to those of the firstembodiment. However, according to this embodiment, the upper surface ofthe first housing 1 is lower than that of the antenna 2 by the leveldifference C. When an external force acts, protrusion of the side edgeof the first housing 1, which faces the antenna 2, to above the uppersurface of the antenna 2 at the boundary 29 can be more effectivelyprevented.

Next, the third embodiment of the present invention is explained byreferring to FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the hook parts 11 of the firsthousing 1 are not formed separately from the first housing 1. When apart of the first housing 1 is produced by sheet metal processing, e.g.,by performing sheet metal punching and plastic working, such as pressforming or the like, the level difference at an edge of a metal plateidentical to that of the first housing 1, as illustrated in FIG. 5, iscreated for integrally forming the first housing 1 and the hook parts11. The integral formation of the first housing 1 and the hook parts 11contributes to reducing processing time as well as processing costs.

In the foregoing embodiments, the resin part is an antenna coated withresin, but the resin part according to the present invention is notlimited to a resin-coated antenna. It may be, for example, a resin coverinto which resin is integrated. The effects of heat on surrounding areasare smaller when heat-prone parts of a housing are provided in a resincover than when they are provided in any given part of the first andsecond housings, both of which are made of metal sheets. Materials thatcan be used include inorganic ceramic.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present application is ideally applicable to portable apparatuseshaving a resin part, such as antenna, on an external surface thereof.Such apparatuses include cellular phones and compact TVs and radios.

1. A portable apparatus comprising: a first housing made of metalsheets; a second housing being mounted with and fixed to the firsthousing, whereby an inside device storage space is providedtherebetween; and a resin part being an antenna coated with resin andbeing fixed to the second housing at a position adjacent to the firsthousing, wherein: the first housing has multi-level hook parts at a sideedge thereof facing the resin part, and front parts of the hook partsare positioned below the rear parts thereof; the resin part has holeparts at a side edge thereof facing the first housing, and the hookparts are inserted into the hole parts; and with the hook parts beinginserted into the hole parts, the front parts of the hook parts arelocked at peripheral edges of the hole parts.
 2. The portable apparatusin accordance with claim 1, wherein the hook parts are members made ofmetal sheets formed separately from the first housing and are connectedto the first housing by welding.
 3. The portable apparatus in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the hook parts are formed integrally with thefirst housing.
 4. The portable apparatus in accordance with claim 1,wherein a surface of the antenna is higher than a surface of the firsthousing when the hook parts are inserted into the hole parts and lockedthereto.
 5. The portable apparatus in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe second housing is made of metal sheets.